Box viewer



13, 1959 H. G. H. KIEHL Box'vIEwER Filed Jan. 5o, 1956 United States Patent O BOX VIEWER Henry G. H. Kiehl, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to vChurch- Craft Pictures, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 30, 1956, Serial No. 562,132

2 Claims. (Cl. 88-29) The present invention relates generally to viewers, and more particularly to a viewer which takes the overall form of a simple box which, together with slides, comprises a complete kit or package. y

In brief, the present novel box viewer comprises a box including bottom and top members, the former of which has two apertures in each of the two sides for viewing purposes. Within the bottom member is a table construction preferably of cardboard, or the like, which supports a pair of lenses adjacent one pair of holes in the bottom member and provides a slot adjacent the other pair of openings in the bottom member for the reception of a picture slide. Spacers are provided on top of the table for extra picture slides.

stereoscopic and other viewers of many types and forms have been made for many years, from the open type holder popular before the turn of the century to the electrically illuminated viewers of today. However, there has long been a need for a simple box viewer of the inexpensive disposable type, which can be employed for advertising purposes or for general sale.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel box viewer of the stereoscopic or the two-dimensional type.

Another object is to provide a novel box viewer which comprises a self-contained kit or package.

Another object is to provide a novel box viewer which is of cardboard, or the like, and is readily adapted to adverising uses as well as general sales.

Another object is to provide a novel box viewer which incorporates a novel table construction supporting lenses and defining a picture slide space with the containing box member.

Another object is to provide a novel box viewer of simple form so that it can .be readily used by small children as well as `adults effectively with minimum instruction.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view through telescoping box members incorporating teachings of the present invention, the table being omitted;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the box members looking toward the side of the bottom member having a round opening, the top member being in section;

Figure 3 is la plan view of the blank from which the novel table forming part of the present invention is formed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View of the lower end of the blank shown in Figure 3, with the lowermost panel folded over the adjacent panel;

Figure 5 is a plan view substantially actual size of the bottom member and the table in assembled relation;

Figures 6 and 7 are vertical transverse cross-sectional views taken on substantially the lines 6--6 and 7-7, respectively, of Figure 5; and

. from Figures 6 and 8.

p 2,868,071 Patented Jan. 13, 1959 Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the openings or windows.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, broadly, the present novel box viewer includes a bottom box member 12, a top box member 14, 'and a table 16.

The bottom member 12 comprises four 4sides 18, 19, 26 and 2l, and a bottom 22.` In the wall 18 are laterally spaced openings or Windows 24, preferably of square form, and in the side 20 are openings 25, preferably circular in form. Also, in the side 18 is a cutout 26 to facilitate removal of picture slides as will be clear from the description below.

The top member 14 is formed to telescope with the bottom member 12 to close the windows 24 and 25 and to maintain the picture slides on the table 16.

The table 16 is formed from a blank, a preferred blank 28 being shown in Figure 3. The blank 28 includes end panels 30 and 31, side panels 32., 33, 34 and 35, a bottom panel 36, and a top panel 37. The side panels 32 and 35 have spaced openings 48 and 41, respectively, which are spaced apart and are about the size of the opening or windows 25. The side panel 33 has spaced openings or windows 42, which are larger in diameter, but which are in alignment with the windows 40 and 41. Each of the windows 42 receives a lens 43, as is clear The side panel 34 has square openings or windows 44 of about the size of the windows 24. Score lines 45 are provided to facilitate forming of the blank 28 into the table 16.

lt will be noted that the end panels 30 and 31 are of greater width than the top panel 37. Also, the bottom panel 36 extends about the thickness of the cardboard, or other material, at each end beyond the length of the several side panels 32-35.

The blank 28 is folded along the score lines 45 to provide the table shown in Figures 5-8. More particularly, the side panel 32 is folded through a one hundred eighty degree angle against the panel 33 and is glued, stapled, or otherwise secured thereto, as is shown in Figure 4. Considering Figure 3, each panel, including the combined panel 32, 33 is folded ninety degrees upwardly considering the top panel 37 as stationary'or flat in `the position shown. This will bring the panel 37 into position adjacent the combined panel 32, 33 with the panel 33 as in intermediate position. Before the panel 35 is stapled, glued, or otherwise secured against the panel 33, the lenses 43 are placed in the Windows 42 and against the smaller Windows 4t), so that they will be trapped between the panels 32 and 35. When the back 28 is thus folded and the panels are secured in folded positions, the end panels 30, 31 will extend beyond the side panel 34 several thicknesses of the cardboard material, and the other ends of the end panels 30, 31 will lie adjacent the lpanels 32, 33 and 35, as is clear from Figure 8.

whichlends itself as an advertising package, or as an item for general sale.

It is manifest that there has been provided a novel box viewer which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to Ibe understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skillediin the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A box viewer comprising, in combination, a 'box bottom member including a bottom panel, opposed end panels, `and opposed side panels, each of said opposed side panels having a pair of opposed spaced windows, opposed windows being in alignment, a table member in said 4bottom member including a top panel, opposed end panels, and opposed side panels, each of said table opposed side panels having a pair of opposed spaced windows, opposed windows being in alignment, and lens members support ed by one side panel filling the spaced Windows thereof, said table member end panels extending at one edge 'beyond the plane of the table member side panel remote from said lens members providing a slot between said table member side panel and one of said bottom member lside panels for the reception of a picture slide, said opposed windows of said bottom member and said table member being aligned for viewing of a picture slide disposed in said slot.

2. A box viewer comprising, in combination, a box bottom member including a bottom panel, opposed end panels, and opposed side panels, each of said opposed side panels having la pair of opposed spaced Windows, op-

posed windows being in alignment, a table member in said bottom member including a top panel, opposed end panels, and opposed side panels, each of said table opposed side panels having a pair of opposed spaced windows, opposed windows being in alignment, and lens member supported by one side panel filling the spaced Windows thereof, said table member end panels extending at one edge beyond the plane of the table member side panel remote from Said lens members providing a slot between said table member side panel and one of said bottom member side panels for the reception of a picture slide, said opposed Windows of said bottom member and said table member being aligned for viewing of a picture slide disposed in said slot, the side and end panels of said table member being of predetermined less height than the side and end panels of said bottom member, and a top 'box member snugly fitting over said bottom member having side and end panels ofpa depth t0 cover said windows of said side panels of said bottom member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,281,746 Allen et al Oct. 15, 1918 2,071,120 Harlow Feb. 16, 1937 2,580,164 Flynn Dec. 25, 1951 2,643,578 Williams June 30, 1953 2,724,991 Levine Nov. 29, 1955 

